Daily Times

Pakistan Navy (PN) is substantially contributing for promotion of education in Pakistan especially in coastal areas. PN establishments are spread over in Karachi,Islamabad and Lahore, in addition to coastal areas. Personnel in uniform, specially, officers are transferred to different formations / stations / bases for courses, training and to gain experience of staff and command appointments in a period of 2-3 years. The transferred personnel have to look for schools/ colleges/ universities for admission of their children. A lot of precious time was wasted in this hassle. In some cases,when studies of their children were affected, they had to lose one academic year in the process. In early eighties, PN decided to have its academic institutions established to facilitate officers and lower ranks to provide quality education to their children. However, not only the naval wards are being given admission, children of the other two sister services and civilians meeting the criteria are also accommodated. In this way,lots of children are getting quality education at competitive rates.

Moreover, a lot of people from civil sector are being given jobs as lecturers, teachers and in administration. It is pertinent to mention that unlike educational institutes in the private sector, PN is not being run merely to earn profit. These have also been established in remote and underdeveloped areas of the country where ever naval station is located unlike the corporate sector which have institutions in big cities from where they can earn more profit.At Karachi, PN has Bahria College (BC) NORE-1 at MT Khan Road, BC at Karsaz and in Islamabad at Naval Complex E 8 and at Anchorage Islamabad.Bahria College Lahore had started functioning in Sep 2012 at Walton. BCs are mostly located in the residential areas of naval personnel. Total strength of students in Bahria Colleges is 13720,out of this about45% are from private sector. A total 1024is teaching staff, largely civilians have been provided with jobs. Supporting staff employed is398. The principal in some cases are officers in uniform or retired officials, having requisite qualification and experience. In this way,a lot of people have been given jobs in addition to providing quality education at competitive rates.

There are seven Bahria Model Schools at Karachi and one in Islamabad which are located in the sailors residential estates to provide quality education. Presently, about 17500 students get education from these schools.

Special people are an integral part of the society since they are comparatively less blessed.Hence, they need more care and attention. In order to alleviate their sufferings and bring them into mainstream , PN has established three, Special Children Schools (SCS) at Karachi and Islamabad. The SCS at Karachi in Karsaz was established in 1993 and shifted to specially constructed building for this purpose in 2005. Present strength of children is 274 and 40 teachers are imparting instructions up to Higher Secondary School (HSSC). The SCS at Mauripur was established in 1999 and it has 90 students and 16 teaching staff. The SCS at Islamabad was established in 1995. It is functioning in a purpose-built structure at Naval Complex E 8. Presently, it has 180 students and 24 teaching faculty. Level of education is Secondary School (SSC). PN is looking after the educational aspects of about 544 special children out of this 48 % are civilians. The teaching and supporting staff are mostly from private sector.

In short, PN is providing quality education at subsidised rates to its wards and civilians especially those residing in coastal areas where there were hardly any education facilities

To impart higher education, Bahria University was established in 2001 at Shangrila Road Naval Complex E8. It is an autonomous body to work under the auspices of Naval Headquarters (NHQ). Its chancellor is the President of Pakistan and the pro-chancellor is the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS). The constituent units are at Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore campuses. It also has Medical and Dental College, Institute of Professional Psychology, and National Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA) at Islamabad and National Centre for Maritime Policy Research (NCMPR) at Karachi. Total strength of students in constituent units is about 15000 and 76% are civilians. Faculty strength is 770 including 150 PhDs, and remaining are MPhil/MS. The admin staff is 800 who are mostly civilians or retired personnel. The university is providing quality educations in engineering, computer science, social sciences, law, medical &dental, psychology and maritime disciplines. Degrees are recognised by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) and Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC).

It also has affiliation with renowned universities abroad. The university offers programs in undergraduate, post graduate and doctoral studies. Its ranking is amongst the top ten university of Pakistan in “general category” assessed by HEC.

Bahria University Medical and Dental College is functioning at Karachi since 2009. It offers MBBS,BDS,MPhil,Doctor of Physical Therapy, BS (Nursing) and BS (Medical Lab Technology).Present strength of students is 997, and teaching faculty is about 300. Faculty is mostly civilians qualified from abroad and distinguished universities of Pakistan.

PN is whole heartedly supporting the government to promote education in coastal areas especially for Baloch people. Cadet College at Ormara has been established to provide modern educational facilities to the Baloch youth. The pioneer batch of 58 cadets started education in April 2013. It included 25 Baloch Naval cadets who had got free education facilities including expenses of boarding and lodging which were borne by PN. Most of them meeting the requirements have joined PN as commissioned officers. Presently, annual intake is 60. Fifty percent seats are reserved for Baloch students who are being provided free education. They are encouraged to join navy and other the two sister services. PN has also established a Bahria Model School at Ormara in 2004. Presently 700 Baloch students and 155 naval wards are getting quality education at subsidised rates. Pick and drop facilities are being provided to local faculty and staff. A model school was established in Gwadar in Mar 2010. Presently it has classes from Montessori to class X and students are 417, mostly Baloch. This school will be soon shifted to purpose-built structure and upgraded to college.

PN has a station at coastal town Jiwani. A model school has been established in 2012to provide quality education to children of locals. Presently, students enrolled are165, almost all students and staff is local. PN has also established a Bahria Model School at Naval Air Station located in Turbat in August 2015.Students enrolled are 230. In order to provide good quality education to poor deserving children of the coastal areas, CNS adopt a child scheme has been introduced from the year 2012. Naval officers adopt a child and bear the expenses of education of these poor students. Till date, 144 students are getting free education in PN schools in coastal areas. In addition, PN has reserved seats for Baloch students in its institutions at Karachi. There is one reserved seat, for MBA, BBA, MBBS and BDS. Tuition fee and allied charges are free. Similarly, two seats have been reserved in Cadet College Petaro for Baloch students. Ten Baloch students of coastal area are selected ever year to provide free education (tuition fee, boarding and lodging) from class VIII to SSC in Bahria Model Schools at Karachi. Presently 15 students are getting this benefit.

In short, PN is providing quality education at subsidised rates to its wards and civilians especially those residing in coastal areas where there were hardly any education facilities.

The writer is Senior Research Fellow, Strategic Vision Institute, Islamabad

Published in Daily Times, March 12^th 2019.